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Martin on the TGO Challenge 2017

Friday, 10 June 2011

2 to 6 June 2011 – A Long Weekend based at Windermere Youth Hostel

There were eleven participants on this trip. Whilst youth hostels aren’t particularly cheap these days, this one at Windermere has been nicely refurbished, with rooms for two or four people, some being en-suite, and with ample grounds and various prepared activities for children, such as orienteering, treasure hunting, etc. In fact it is extremely child friendly, which is just as well as we had four under tens in our party, and Much Cheaper than a B&B or hotel.

Ten of us arrived on a hot Thursday afternoon. Ben and Polly soon grabbed Sue when their mum and Dad dozed off.

We all then enjoyed a stroll up Wansfell Pike, with ‘Bubbles’ celebrating reaching the summit in style.

Al and I went on to the summit of Wansfell, whilst the others raced us back to Troutbeck. Some of them beat us, despite our running!

All that exercise meant good business for the bar at the hostel (yes, many youth hostels have licensed bars these days), and we were soon tucking in to Sue’s excellent sausage pasta dish.

The pudding was Yummy – a repeat of the one we cooked for Lyn and Simon’s wedding ‘a few’ years ago.

Friday morning dawned hot and sunny, so everyone enjoyed a trip down to Windermere.

We caught the Bowness ferry and whilst some just lazed around on the western shore of the lake, others went for a ‘paddle’. In the absence of swimwear, many of the images that record this episode could get me into trouble if I publish them here…

Anyway, everyone else adjourned to a boat trip to Ambleside, whilst I strolled back to the hostel via The Dales Way, The Windermere Way, and Orrest Head. A lovely walk, albeit very hot, with fine views throughout, and especially towards the Kentmere Hills from Orrest Head.

It was thirsty work, and again we ate outside, today Al and Hazel being providers of plentiful pizza and salad.

Fiona had joined us on Friday afternoon, and she helped to coax Polly up Helm Crag on Saturday morning. (Hot, sunny. Boring isn’t it!)

I was very happy by lunch time, having managed to scale the summit rock face (closely followed by a small girl). It’s about as hard as I can manage without a rope!

Sue and Al also made it to the top, whilst others were happy to watch, before descending to play in a frothy beck, from where a short walk led to the Lancrigg Hotel. A gem of a place, outside which we enjoyed massive servings of carrot cake and other delights, before returning for a well cooked YHA meal.

Sunday morning saw Lyn and Simon head off with their charges, but not before Aussie Stephen, from the hostel (a very patient man – we observed him working diligently in reception, where some guests fully expected the service that would be offered by a five star hotel – and got it) took this excellent group photo.

The remaining seven of us headed off to Grizedale Forest on a cooler day, and enjoyed a romp around the ‘red’ trail over Carron Crag.

Numerous sculptures were encountered, as always in this forest, this one being near the summit of the crag.

Then we all went home, after an extremely successful and enjoyable outing. Very relaxing after the TGO Challenge!

Sue and I took lots of photos. A selection of 50 is here, but if you were lucky enough to be on this particular trip, you may enjoy the ‘full works’, some 160 images, here.